Terence Hill and Bud Spencer have portrayed EVERYTHING.
Crooks,pirates,cops,cowboys etc. In 1974's Porgi L'atra Guanca, AKA Turn the other Cheek, they play Priests who sell
pepper and coffee on a large boat in Europe, while preaching and healing the ill at the same time.
Padre J (Terence Hill) and Padre Pedro (Bud Spencer) leave European waters to bring their to gospel to Maracaibo, Venezuela (although the filming location was in Colombia according to some sources but, I doubt that either because in South America there are no Asian languages spoken anywhere, and in a few scenes you see some signs written in some Asian language, which leads me to think they must have filmed in the Philippines instead)
Sailing with God's help.
Slavery? let's get busy padre!
Set in Anno dil Segnore 1890, our Padres will not only bring the gospel and supplies to a new land, they will also fight slavery and overpowered rich white men with their strongest weapon: Their fists!
Not being granted funds to build a new church by their bishop (Jacques Herlin)Padre Pedro steals the bishop's ring and and goes to
the Maracaibo local casino to play roulette and get money. Evidently, this calls the attention of Marches Alfonso Felipe Gonzaga, the governor (played by Robert Loggia) who is searching for a missing religious idol, as well as some of his slaves that disappeared in a cast away ship. Sooner than later, our religious heroes are exiled to a strict community controlled by the Governor and his men. Not happy with this, our padres decide to take matters on their own through a schemed inside job that will not only set free all the enslaved workers but also, a scheme that will reveal the true nature of the abusive governor.
Padre Pedro, the dentist.
The gospel goes wild.
The film was produced by legendary producer Dino de Laurentis, who has won an Oscar and 22 other awards, not mentioning produced 172 films during his lifetime! Among his most famous works, he produced Barbarella, King-Kong (the 1976 version), Conan The Barbarian, Flash Gordon, Maximum Overdrive, Red Dragon & Hannibal.
The movie title, Porgi L'atra guancia, comes from an old Christian belief that once someone has offended you, you have to give them another chance, hence the cheek (guancia) reference. In one of the film's scenes, Padre Pedro and Padre J discuss this and modify the saying by adding that if you're hit in the wrong cheek you will get fist for breakfast.
A signature scene in Hill & Spencer's films: a feast.
Let's see if your God will stop this bullet.
Overall, Turn the Other Cheek, may not be among their finest works, but the beautiful late 1800's scenery, landscapes and chemistry in the leading duo makes this film worth a try even for those who are not hardcore Hill & Spencer fans. Just don't expect to find religious teachings worth trying in real life here. Unless, of course, you don't give a fuck about religions (as I do) and prefer the action speaks louder than words motto.
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